A New Name

 Romans 16:1-2  I commend to you our sister Phoebe....... , that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you.......


On May 17th, 1998, a beautiful baby girl was born.  No one came to her birth.  There were no flowers sent, no pink packages.  The phone did not ring with voices of congratulations on the other end. No pink wreath was hung on the door.  She did not have a nursery with a closet full of pink little clothes.  There were no tears of joy shed for her that day.....only tears of sorrow.  When she was 2 days old, instead of being carried down the hall and placed in a white bassinet with pink ribbons, this little girl was carried to the gates of a health facility and laid on the ground.  There, under the cover of night, she was abandoned.  At 2 days old, she began the life of an orphan.  She became unloved, unwanted, and undesired.  For the next 13 years and eleven months she lived with other orphans in a run-down (to put it lightly), orphanage.  She was cold at times and hungry at times. She was never held for hours on end, gazing in another's eyes.  She had no one to tell her she was special or wonderful.  No one told her "good job!" No one told her she could do anything she set her mind to.  No one to give her hugs or tell her that they loved her.  No one tucked her in at night.  No one came running to her side when she woke up crying in the middle of the night from a nightmare.  No one told her she was smart or beautiful.  No one picked her up when she fell and scraped her knee.

On May 17 of 2012, this little girl would turn 14 and age out of a very broken system and remain an orphan for the rest of her life.  You see, once a child turns 14 in China, they can no longer be adopted. I can only imagine the destiny that awaited her.

But, on April 9th, 2012, just one month and 8 days before her 14th birthday,  her destiny changed.  On that day, she became my daughter! She was given a new name and a new life!  In an instant, she went from unloved, undesired and unwanted to loved and cherished and wanted.  From poverty to abundance in the blink of an eye.  She will no longer be called orphan.  Instead, she is called, " daughter, sister, grandaughter, neice, cousin, best friend!"  She is Phoebe FuBing Yarbrough.  She is smart and loveable.  She is funny and kind.  She is loud and goofy.  She is wonderful.  She is mine on loan from a gracious God that gives amazing gifts!!  Her life and her story are a beautiful reflection of the God that gave her life.  May she forever live her life in a manner that honors Him and brings Him glory!

That is my beautiful Phoebe Fu!!!  She is strong and determined.  She tries so hard at everything she attempts.  She is gaining confidence every day.

If you want to read about how we came to love her through watermelon, scroll down and read the very first post from 2012.  No one will ever be able to convince me this child was not ordained to be part of our family.  God's hand was all over her adoption!

God Bless,
Amanda